The Dodgers are reportedly meeting with free agent Justin Verlander today, according to Jon Heyman of The New York Post.
The fit between Verlander and the Dodgers makes sense for a number of reasons. Despite being among the game’s biggest spenders, the Dodgers tend to prefer shorter-term contracts as opposed to lengthy commitments. The last time they gave a starting pitcher a guarantee longer than three years was to Brandon McCarthy going into 2015. Verlander turns 40 in February and will be limited in how many years he can reasonably ask for this offseason.
Verlander’s free agency has often been compared to that of Max Scherzer, another pitcher who has remained effective as an ace-level hurler into the age when many others begin to decline. Scherzer signed with the Mets a year ago for $130MM over three years, an average annual value of $43.33MM. MLBTR predicted Verlander to come in just under that, $120MM over three years, AAV of $40MM. Verlander is coming off an excellent platform season, winning the AL Cy Young after throwing 175 innings with a 1.75 ERA. However, Scherzer was going into his age-37 season when his deal was signed and will turn 40 just as it winds down, though he can also opt out after the second year. In Verlander’s case, he’s going to be 40 when his next deal begins.
Regardless, Verlander showed in 2022 that he’s still one of the best pitchers in the game, which is something the Dodgers could use. Walker Buehler required Tommy John surgery in August and will miss most of 2023, perhaps even all of it. The club also lost Andrew Heaney and Tyler Anderson to free agency, with Anderson having already inked a new deal with the Angels.
The Dodgers have reportedly agreed to bring Clayton Kershaw back for another year, who will join Julio Urías, Tony Gonsolin and Dustin May in the front four spots of the rotation. That’s a solid group in terms of talent but there are still concerns. Kershaw is still excellent when healthy but regularly deals with injuries, having not reached 130 innings in a season since 2019. Gonsolin had an excellent breakout in 2022 but dealt with a forearm strain down the stretch. May just returned from Tommy John but only made six starts this year. Despite debuting in 2019, he only has 25 career starts under his belt so far. Urías has been great in the past three seasons but he’s a free agent after 2023.
There are some intriguing in-house options for the fifth spot in the rotation, such as Ryan Pepiot, Michael Grove, Andre Jackson, Bobby Miller and Gavin Stone. However, the latter two haven’t cracked the 40-man roster yet and the others still have limited experience and minor league options. Adding another starter would improve the big league club while allowing those guys to head to the minors and battle each other for who gets the call when an injury creates an opening.
Verlander has been with the Astros since a deadline deal in 2017 and seemed a candidate to return on the heels of their World Series victory here in 2022. However, recent reporting has suggested that owner Jim Crane, who is temporarily running the show after parting ways with general manager James Click, isn’t interested in giving Verlander the three-year deal he’s looking for. Even without Verlander, Houston would have a really strong rotation mix consisting of Framber Valdez, Cristian Javier, Lance McCullers Jr., Luis Garcia, José Urquidy and Hunter Brown. Since that reporting, Verlander has been connected to the Mets and the Yankees, with the Dodgers now entering the fray.
In terms of the money, the Dodgers have plenty of room relative to their recent spending. Roster Resource calculates their current payroll to be around $152MM with a competitive balance tax number of $168MM. Their Opening Day payroll was $280MM in 2022, according to Cot’s Baseball Contracts, and the first CBT threshold is moving up to $233MM in 2023. In both cases, the Dodgers have plenty of room to work with, even if they add around $40MM by bringing Verlander aboard. The club will have other needs to address, particularly replacing Trea Turner at shortstop. However, recent reporting has suggested the club might steer clear of the big free agents and let Gavin Lux or a trade acquisition take over at that position. If that is indeed the case, perhaps their biggest spending will go towards the rotation this winter, having also been connected to Carlos Rodón recently. Though they also appear to be hanging around the Aaron Judge sweepstakes.
RIP Astros
Lmao! Stros are alive & well!
Relax, lads.
‘‘Twas a joke.
Yeah my guess is Verlander goes back to the Stro’s, unless the Dodgers offer $45 annually for 3 years. Then he’ll likely go to La-La Land.
Springer leaves. “RIP Astros”. Correa leaves. “RIP Astros”. Verlander leaves. “RIP Astros”.
I think they’re just the best run team in baseball. (Well were the best run team, who knows what Crane’s going to do now)
Don’t forget Gerrit Cole
@jdgoat- You really think the Stro’s would be fine losing Verlander? Who replaces him in the rotation? Just curious.
Everyone said the same when they lost Cole to the Yankees and they seemed to pull through.
Good fit for the Dodgers. They will overpay. Astros could care less unless he cones back for a discount, they have 6 solid starters not named JV, all of them pitched in the playoffs ( whether in a starting or relief role) and all did better overall in the playoffs than JV. JV is a great pitcher but not worth an overpay.
The Astros are one of the few teams that could lose a player of Verlanders magnitude and be perfectly fine .
Unfortunately, I have to agree with that.
I want to thank players like these for helping to drive up inflation.
Justin Verlander is printing trillions in fiat currency to fund his pet social projects?!
No pet projects, just demanding more and more and more and more over and over again until every team is required to run a Billion dollar payroll and that still won’t field a competitive team. These players are getting paid way, way, way to much. Randy Johnson at his height, not even 20 years ago topped out at 16 million a season. Is Max Scherzer, Jacob Degrom, Gerrit Cole, Justin Verlander almost 3 times better than Randy Johnson, absolutely not even close but we are paying them that way. This idea that we HAVE to keep upping the pay for players that stat wise aren’t worth is what I’m talking about. Incredible all of the business and jobs that Manfred wiped out 2 years ago only to keep driving up the price of overpriced players. Strasburg and a few others have proven my point exactly. These players are opting for more money only to return to the same team at a higher demanded price. Atleast do some research on how individual people can affect it to. To much greed and entitlement with Professional anything, especially players of sports. Greed is rampant.
None of that has anything to do with inflation.
Ah, yes. The players make too much money, so we should let the owners keep the savings…
Nor is it greed in this case but maybe he likes to feel like an economist for a day….
Sounds like you don’t know what inflation is.
Ahahahaha just like I would like to thank this websites role in canceling or trying to stop free speech. I wrote a long bit in response to you but this website decided to flag it for approval from Moderation. Isn’t it crazy, over 4 years of using this website, never seen that before, weird that you and others feel you are somehow morally or ethically superior to others to try to dictate their words or actions. How about leave it alone? I didn’t use any curse worse or threaten anybody but somehow a large group of insane people are threatened by my words. Weird isn’t it. Didn’t say anything wrong but you feel the need to judge me anyway for some thought crime you made up. Stop trying to control others and mind your own business. Highly doubt this will make it past the elitist entitlement to be posted.
No, this doesn’t play like generic paranoia and grievance.
Its everywhere now Drew. Elon Musk brought back free speech to twitter and now hes public enemy number one.
Wow, Drew… you’re all over the map there.
Uh, no.
Brought back? It never left, it was just accepted as long as it’s pointed in the same direction on one side. Pretty ignorant to say that Elon brought back anything. He bought the company but for some reason a voice other than what you want to dictate is deemed hate speech. Maybe we will get lucky and Elon buy MLB and actually clean out these scandals and other issues instead of keep throwing rugs over problems or signing deals to keep cheating under wraps. Incredible you all say that I don’t know what something is or means but offer no counter points, only that I’m somehow a conspiracy theorist just because you all can’t counter?
Again, uh no, is not a counter argument. You not somehow a winner because you put this. You haven’t won and decided anything you just decided to type in what could be said out loud with a noise. Sounds like how a 10 year old hears something they don’t agree with but know they can’t argue.
“Uh, no” was not in response to you, it was in response to cornelius. My reply to you was the “none of that has anything to do with inflation” post.
I really wish MLBTR would get a better comment system, this one is far too imprecise.
Enjoying your vote for Sleepy Joe Utah? Now thats a man who understands inflation
Agreed. Hard to follow who’s responding to who. Then I’ve had 2 complete responses somehow haven’t made it past a human being for it to be posted. But it does have to do with inflation if a player opts out from a contract then resigns with the same exact team only for a higher dollar amount. They are holding some teams hostage by the actions that they take. It’s a competition for these particular players like degrom, Scherzer, Verlander etc who are constantly trying to one up each other’s contract. ITS EVERY SEASON NOW. Every single season we see it but yet your still going to try to say it has no affect on inflation? Actively driving up the price only and to purely drive up the price of their services but your right, has absolutely nothing to do with inflation. WRONG
I love this site but its renowned for posters who view themselves as Scientists and Astrophysicists.
More fried baloney, Drew. No team is held hostage to any player. They enter into player contracts completely voluntarily, with their eyes wide open, and understanding the costs, the risks, and the returns inherent in them. Ironically if player salaries were truly free market, most players would be paid more, some of them a lot more. No doubt you’d really hate that.
You just accused others of using conspiracy theories in your own conspiracy theory. Pretty Ironic.
You all don’t really know what “free speech” actually is. It has nothing to do with what people like us “say.” It reads:
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
It DOES NOT pertain to a private site like MLBTR. If Dierks and Co. don’t want negative squabbling, political banter, and non-baseball BS on their BASEBALL site, they have every right to censor it out. Keep it to baseball and all shall be well!!
@Mets6986??. You talking to me? If so, the response is hell no. If you don’t understand the ways that MLB salaries are far from a free market, then I suggest you spend some time thinking about how the arbitration process works, and how it preserves below market rate salaries for controlled players.
@ giantsphan12. All true, but I think it confuses the issue some to talk about moderating comments as if it was a form of censorship. Only governments have the power to tell someone they can’t say something. The owners of a private place only have the power to tell someone that it can’t be said here.
@blueskies, agreed. My frustration overwhelmed my discernment as your categorizing what MLBTR does as “moderating” is much more accurate. There is zero censorship taking place on this site. Thank you!
No I wasn’t talking to you. I was talking to the Astros poster talking about conspiracy theories.
“I didn’t use any curse worse”
Maybe there was something in there that you weren’t aware of.
The New York Times has a simple solution. If I were replying to a comment that you posted in a comments thread there, my comment would be preceded by “@King Floch.”
I guess I’ll have to start doing that myself when replying to comments here. It’d be nice if the site would do it automatically though.
@Astros2017Champs
If you’re attributing global inflation to the President, you don’t understand inflation.
There are numerous pressures behind the rise in inflation. A major one is the Covid lockdown in China and its impact on manufacturing and supply chains. Another is the war in Ukraine. Yet another is the overall impact of Covid on both.
The President didn’t cause inflation throughout the world. He’s not responsible for 12.27% inflation in Belgium, or 11.8% inflation in Italy, or overall inflation of 11.5% in the EU, or 11.1% inflation in the U.K., or 11% inflation in Austria, etc. U.S. inflation is lower than inflation all of those countries.
tradingeconomics.com/country-list/inflation-rate-
Typo correction: U.S. inflation is lower than inflation in all of those countries.
He’s public enemy no
one because of the other side of free speech. If musk allows anyone to use Twitter, it could mean that dictators like Putin can use it for propaganda. Musk doesn’t seem to understand that trump isn’t the only dictator returning to the site.
The best approach to the rhetorical cesspool of Twitter is to not wade in. I dumped that dysfunctional platform years ago and haven’t regretted it for a minute.
That simply means you probably cursed but don’t let me stop your conspiracy theories…. And apparently your drugs.
Actually, you are wrong. That is exactly what inflation means… paying for the same thing at a higher price year after year due to rising costs of everything else. The cost for baseball players is 100% inflated.
@CardsFan77
That’s a good definition, but the increase in player salaries is not driving inflation on a national level. It’s probably making your tickets, parking, hot dogs and beer more expensive though. But that’s probably been the case for decades.
I could care less how much money a player gets. I’m not paying their salaries, I’m just enjoying watching them play the game. I’m lucky enough to be in a city that televises all of my favorite team’s games so I don’t have to go to their games and overspend on tickets, etc.
Is inflation such a buzzword nowadays that we can just use it to blame whoever we want? Most people want the players to have this money anyways, otherwise it just sits in the owners pockets.
not direct inflation at the store but at the park where the hot dog is now $13.50 or the watered down beer is $2500 due the to fact the owner’s shell out the money for high priced free agents.. ITS NOT A BUZZWORD!!!.
That’s a supply and demand issue, it has nothing to do with the players. If fans stop paying money, the prices fall. If players salaries go down, the concession prices will not.
Well at least someone was awake in their Econ 101 class.
It is when the players drive up the price for their services only to drive up the price. When a player opts out and resigns for a higher amount with the same team 2 days later. Why? It’s not like they learned a new pitch or a new skill to help them play better or throw more pitchs, so why are they somehow worth another $100 million or more that they weren’t worth earlier that week? To your point about supply and demand. To much of the supply have way to many demands.
Translation: free markets only work when people don’t get paid a competitive rate for their services.
How is it a free market? What other opportunities do the players have here? Even abroad they won’t make nearly as much. What other choices do they have? There is a reason that the government is looking at them as a monopoly for their actions. Mlb will openly crush any form of competition in the US. No traveling team can afford a mlb player in their prime. When they are in their 70s and provide no value at a major league level then you can hire one. Face it, there are NO opportunities for players in the US if MLB doesn’t approve. Not at the rate these people think they should get paid. 1 person with a bunch of people in his ear rule over it all with a pretty bias outlook. Is anyone willing to talk about the shadiness of FTX and why was it on the umps for over 2 seasons now. Now that it is bankrupt and being investigated will they still be wearing it? This uniforms will look like trash with some of the ideas for advertising I’ve heard for the jerseys. If even half of them are possible then look out. Gonna be great to see the T-Mobile Yankees and Coca Cola Mariners. Now it’s not even being a purist for baseball but there won’t be anything left of the common game. It used to be for the fans to enjoy watching a game. Baseball players and Wrestlers are the same. Your paid to provide a up tempo, particularly muscle strenuous job who is there to entertain the fans. That is their service. To provide entertainment value. But for some reason that value is dictated at $40 million when I myself can walk outside with a ball and a glove and provide that value to myself at a much lower rate but the entertain side of keeps upping and upping the pay only because they are having a competition with other people only to drive up the price. Notice how no one who said I was wrong about inflation could actually tell me how and where I was wrong. To your point yes if the team and player enter into contract that’s fine. But for the player to opt out and return to the same team while not providing a new single thing about you but at a higher price is pure greed. Atleast go to another team and try to hide the fact your greedy and didn’t want new scenery. Instead the teams that sign them again take an active hit, small but it doesn’t matter, because of the greed of that player. I’d hate to be the player in the Nationals locker room who saw Strasburg opt out, resign for more, maybe knowing he was already damaged goods, just to try to get that extra cushing in his life, and the team implode and have to trade everyone off because how bad the team tipped off its crater, but you and others are right, they don’t have any coalition with each other. These bloated contracts, along with many other things are gonna drive the MLB out. I say that and people get weird and call me a conspiracy theorist because you think something is to big to fail. You all no nothing of history then.
“ It’s not like they learned a new pitch or a new skill to help them play better or throw more pitchs, so why are they somehow worth another $100 million or more that they weren’t worth earlier that week?”
Seriously that argument can be made about thousands of workers whose minimum wages have been increased which has more of an impact than 10-20 sports athletes. Really what you are talking about is negligible in the grand scheme of things especially when the government wants inflation and creates most of it.
Hey Drew, just stop already. You’re lashing out at people who disagree with you, it happens. And stop trying to denigrate everyone, using poor grammar and spelling, making yourself look worse than you already have. Go outside and take a walk, it’ll clear your head of these conspiracies and you’ll feel much better.
inflated prices. marlins cant give away tickets or concession since they don’t spend any revenue on salaries.
yankeess are barely affordable to the casual fan. Brewers owner acknoleged this when a player was suspended, giving away $10 million in food that otherwise would have gone toward the player.
salaries go up, ballpark prices go up.
If you are blaming beer prices on shortage of beer, you are wrong.
It’s not about a shortage of something…. It’s the demand. I am not wrong, you saying they have anything to do with salaries is what is incorrect.
The free market is the ability to pick between 30 teams. What are you trying to argue?
This is just flat out wrong Citizen, and there is nothing that backs up your point.
Ohhh Ella B, why not take that walk yourself? Bless your heart.
Drew, I’m not the one acting like a child when someone disagrees with what I post. Man up and grow a pair son, life isn’t about everyone else trying to make you happy. And you and Astro fan should take your nutjob conspiracies over to faux news, you’ll be with the rest of your kind.
Unfortunately , he learned these false Economic principles on MSNBC apparently..
Noooooo! Not the Evil Empire! But what do you expect when a club is willing to shell out $300 mill. in annual payroll and suffer the penalties that go with it.
Evil Empire? Verlander is not meeting with the Yankees.
The other one. Evil Empire West = Dodgers. Evil Empire East = Yankees.
Gotta consider the Mets in that group too, Cohen ain’t scared to spend.
The Yankees are the Evil Empire. The Dodgers are not.
The Yankees haven’t been evil for a long time. Getting swept at home by your daddys ended the yankees
I have respect for the Yanks. Great franchise. Love to beat them though. The LA teams are just pretenders.
The Yankees are the Evil Empire just like Houston is the Trashstros or the Asterisks.
Astros2017Champs- Yeah at least you didn’t cheat this time. (As far as we know)
Makes sense. The #35 jersey just freed up by letting that bum Bellinger go.
That jersey is cursed they should give him 66 instead.
With so much uncertainty in this rotation already adding a 40-year-old pitcher doesn’t feel like a great fit.
A 40-year-old who just won the Cy Young Award
Of course, but that doesn’t reduce the risk inherent with him being over 40.
Verlander has freakish DNA. He’s a freak of nature like Shaun White
BuT hE pLaYeD fOr ThE cHeAtErS!!!
Just like other baseball YouTubers who say the Dodgers wouldn’t bring in Correa because he cheated lol.
Rectifying one of their biggest mistakes. Going after Yu Darvish in 2017, instead of JV.
In hindsight, not getting Verlander in 2017 was a mistake, but it’s easy to forget the following:
1. In 2017, Verlander was owed $56 million over the next two years, plus the pro-rated amount for that year.
2. He had been decline for a several years, posting mid-rotation numbers, with the exception of 2016, where he bounced back at bit.
3. He was in his age-34 season.
Put all of those things together and it’s really easy to understand why the Dodgers didn’t pull the trigger on Verlander in 2017. There’s reason this was a waiver deadline trade, as nobody else was willing to take on the commitment.
At the time, I was opposed to the Dodgers making a Verlander deal and laughed at the Astros for doing the same…especially when they gave up 3 of their top 12 prospects to get Verlander and some pay-down on the contract. Once again, in hindsight, the Astros were brilliant in trading what would turn out to be 3 failed prospects for 2 more years of elite Verlander production, plus the inside track on resigning him.
I hate the Astros, but this has to go down as one of the greatest, unexpectedly lopsided trades in history. Props to them for pulling it off.
Not to mention Yu Darvish was incredibly good with the Dodgers until he ran into the cheaters in the World Series.
This is true, but to be fair, he got shelled in Dodger Stadium in game 7, too.
If he doesn’t get shelled in Houston, maybe he pitches better in Game 7. Or there is no Game 7.
Good point.
It’s the perfect fit. They’re the most notorious team when it comes to short term high AAV deals.
1 year/$75M or 2 years/$100M or 3 years/$136.5M I’d imagine.
His wife wants to be in LA. And LA needs Justin. Only the Mets can top the offer. This will happen.
Do you think the Angel can go after him? JV that is.
No way Moreno spends that kind of money on pitching.
If Kate Upton wanted to be in LA so badly why did the Verlander’s sell their Beverly Hills mansion last summer and purchase a new estate in Jupiter Florida? They had been living in the LA mansion since 2016.
Friedman has made some real questionable decisions since last yr and this seems like another one
The Dodgers need starters. Who wouldn’t want a Cy Young winner? I get health concerns, but JV is just built different.
I mean who comes back from TommyJohn at the age of 40 and wins the cy? Yes, he is a freak of nature. He wants to pitch til he’s 45.
If Verlander is questionable in your book, who’s a solid bet?
Rodon
88dodgers;
Friedman has made some questionable deals for more than the past year.
I like him a lot. But I don’t put the Dodgers up over the Astros, or even his former Rays and a few other teams. It’s nice that he keeps bringing in high priced veterans for long-term contracts, but then again he dumps others that are coming up to free agency. I’d be more impressed if he signed mid-level free agents and traded for mid-level players, have his excellent coaching staff work with them, and field a solid team that will be together for years.
The Dodgers should just sign Judge and get the #1 free agent off the board so the dominos can start falling.
This is gonna be a done deal.
well,i suppose that leaves the mets and yankees out.
My money’s on Justin Verlander signing with the Mets, Yankees or possibly the Phillies. They’re all World Series contenders and offer Verlander a chance to pitch closer to his new Jupiter, Florida estate. Each also conduct spring training in Florida’s Grapefruit League with the Mets Port St. Lucie location the closest to Jupiter, a 35 minute drive via the Florida Turnpike.
The Dodgers might have had a better shot before Verlander sold his Beverly Hills mansion to actor Timothee Chalamet last summer. I’m guessing that Verlander and his reps might be using the Dodgers as additional leverage against the eastern teams. Verlander and wife Kate Upton have a young daughter who just turned 4. He’s also a Virginia native who remained in the state through his college years at Old Dominion. All things being equal and they likely will be with the other 3 big market spenders, Verlander would probably prefer pitching closer to home as he finishes his HOF career.
Cutting and pasting is fun !
@Aggiefan
Knowledge and research is important, maybe something that is lost on the Twitter/Texting generation. It may also be lost on some prominent baseball pundits like Jon Heyman who prompted my research after reporting that the Dodgers have potentially become the front runner for Verlander while suggesting his LA home was a factor. I had already known this to be incorrect with the Verlander’s high profile estate sale last year.
Excerpt from series of mlb.com articles regarding Verlander’s likely suitors and destination this offseason: mlb.com/news/justin-verlander-rumors?partnerID=web…
Nov. 28: Dodgers set to meet with Verlander (report)
The Dodgers were set to meet with Verlander on Monday, according to MLB Network insider Jon Heyman.
The Mets and Yankees are also interested in the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner, and the Astros are still in the mix as well, according to Heyman. However, several signs point to Los Angeles potentially emerging as the frontrunner for Verlander, who owns a home in L.A.
If he wanted to be closer to home he would pitch for the Rays or Marlins. They happen to play in cities that are actually in Florida.
I’m sure if he signs with the Dodgers he will find a comfortable place to live or even rent a room from Mr. Chalamet (whoever that is).
Guys of Verlander’s ilk do not need to add leverage for an extra $20M.
You don’t know who Timothy Chalamet is? I suggest you watch The King on netflix. Excellent movie. He’s also Paul Atreides in the new Dune movies. The new Dune movie is must see television.
I’m not even sure why he turned up in this conversation, but I don’t know who he is either
Haha yeah- “I don’t know who that is” seems to be a point of pride for people and it’s like- it’s fair to assume if the person is being mentioned, they’re famous in their own right, just not famous for something you personally follow or are interested in.
Chalamet is a celebrated in demand actor who’s been getting bigger and bigger roles, Oscar nominations, etc. and he’s about to play Willy Wonka in a very high profile remake that will come out later this year. Boom.
@mike127
If the Rays or Marlins were willing to pony up the reported dollars that are being speculated for Verlander he would certainly give them strong consideration, no? The Rays would be especially appealing since they have been consistent contenders in a stacked AL East despite their low payrolls. If Verlander prioritizes pitching for a winner, the Marlins would be a longer shot with a far less favorable recent track record in the powerhouse NL East.
Btw: Virtually every player and their representatives, regardless of their “ilk”, utilize leverage in negotiating contracts. Premier free agent Aaron Judge will leverage his limited amount of pursuers, his ‘hometown’ Giants and perhaps the Dodgers, against the Yankees. The next tier of elite FA position players, namely the 4 shortstops, will all likely wait until Judge signs before leveraging themselves against each other along with the losers in the HR slugger’s derby.
Additionally, anyone who isn’t familiar with great young actor Timothée Chalamet must be leading a sheltered life, at least when it comes to the art of cinema. Any actor who can afford an $11.7MM Beverly Hills estate, especially at the young age of 26 and who wasn’t born into money, must have something in his favor: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timoth%C3%A9e_Chalamet
there is a .000001% chance of the Phillies signing Verlander.
So you’re saying there’s a chance.
He doesn’t exactly seem like a Los Karen, not a good fit.
Agreed
But do the Dodgers have the bullpen and the offense and willing to let him go longer in games to continue his march towards 300 which is obvious something that is important to him.
As great as Verlander is, I’m having a hard time seeing value in a three year contract. Maybe there isn’t value but the overpay will be bearable but he’d have to be the exception. Clemens was effective and durable for Houston at age 41 and 42….but, he had “help”. Nolan Ryan managed a fifth place CY at 42. It’s not out of the question that Verlander could be good for three years, but I don’t think I’d want to be the GM who made that bet.
He does have a new elbow.
Angels should pay Verlander big annual dollars on a short term. The clock is running on Mike Trout’s prime. “Tick tock tick tock tick tock” – H. Lecter
2 years at 30 million per year, should be his maximum. Scherzer only got 3 years at 43 million per year because Steve Cohen really wanted him and Scherzer hates New York. Money talks. I don’t think Scherzer’s contract should be compared as the normal for top tier pitchers that are past 35 years of age
Verlander is not your normal top tier pitcher above 35 years in age.
That might be why Scherzer signed for that much but it’s now the new standard. Owners will have to keep up with Cohen spending or won’t get the players they want.
No, God! No, God. Please. No! No! No!
Nooooooo
Cole Hamels turns 40 in Dec., Id sign him to a one year deal if his arm was in shape, 450 k’s away from 3K
As long as they also extend Urias, I am all in on the Dodgers adding Justin and Kate
I think Verlander’s options are really quite slim. He’s so intent on 300 wins, so he’s not going to sign with just any team. There’s maybe 5 or 6 teams I think he’d truly consider, and because of this, I don’t think he gets the 3rd year guaranteed. 2 years for $88m is my prediction.
He’s going to sign with a team that has the payroll and the willingness to sign a player to a $40MM per year contract. NYY, NYM, LAD, SD, PHI, & SFG. Not sure all of them will be willing. No one else has the budget.
Resigning with Houston is a possibility, and maybe the Cards could be a sleeper team. I don’t see him willing to go to SF unless they vastly improve their offense.
Definitely not SD.
He cares more about who pays him the most
“2 years for $88m is my prediction.”
SaintChris;
Do you think he can live on that? How about the opt out? And where’s the security of a 3rd and even a 4th year?
Ahh, so you’d prefer owners keep the lionshare of profits?
I like it, tie up a bunch of money in someone 40 years old. You should go 30 million a year for 3 years
It would be almost as bad as signing a chronically injured steroid user to a 14-year contract, amiright?
3/125
Dodgers trying to corner the market on postseason choking pitchers.
I think you made a wrong stop on your way to Musk Twitter. Should have taken that left turn at Albuquerque
Wait so LAD never gave Kershaw more than a 3 year deal at a time? That’s crazy to think because of how amazing he is each season
Technically. If I remember right, he had an opt-out in his first free agency contract that was bought out and extended. Seems to me this added up to four or five years total.
Friedman main goal today will be to see if Verlander is serious about leaving the Astros. They will give him a good offer. Verlander fits well with the Dodgers, they will offer him a high AAV short term deal. 3/135.
I don’t think the Dodgers are too keen on giving Verlander a 3 year deal either. I can definitely see a 2 year deal or 1 with some options. Of course, I didn’t think the Dodgers would give Freeman 6 years either so what do I know
Maybe he is offering a Cy-ber Monday deal?
Hamels is only 39, probably take a 1 year deal for a million, he’d be good as a fifth starter, he should sign with the Royals and chase 3K with Grienke.
When you think of Justin Verlander, also think of Nolan Ryan (longevity).
Thomas E Snyder;
That’s exactly what Dave Dombrowski said to some reporters when he saw Verlander at Spring Training with Detroit while Verlander was still in the low minors.
But I’d be careful. When Nolan lost it….he lost it….but he was still being paid like he had it.
Seems scary to give him a three year contract. Don’t see Houston doing it. But he probably has the leverage to get a three year deal. Or at least a two year guarantee with a third year that vests at different amounts per the innings pitched in year 2 (or years 1 and 2 combined).
Dodgers will mention LA has pretty girls
Sixth Street, we love it!